Neglecting machinery hoses can get expensive

What is in this article?:

A Purdue University specialist is the lead author of the new Purdue Cooperative Extension Service publication The Selection and Inspection of Hoses: An Integral Component of Everyday Equipment. The nearly 50-page guide — Extension publication PPP-89 — covers hose-related topics, including choosing the right hose for the job, cutting and installation, inspection and maintenance, hose reels, and proper disposal.

More About:

Wealth of information

Whitford is the lead author of the new Purdue Cooperative Extension Service publication The Selection and Inspection of Hoses: An Integral Component of Everyday Equipment. The nearly 50-page guide — Extension publication PPP-89 — covers hose-related topics, including choosing the right hose for the job, cutting and installation, inspection and maintenance, hose reels, and proper disposal.

Although hoses generally are made from plastic or rubber compounds, they usually serve specific purposes, Whitford said.

"A hose is not designed to carry every fluid available," he said. "If you're using anhydrous ammonia, it's going to take a different material to hold that chemical versus a pesticide, fertilizer or water. The hose has to be built to stand different pressures."

Along with the types of chemicals the hose will carry and under what pressure levels, Whitford said buyers should consider the following when selecting a hose:

• What is the hose diameter?

• How much hose length do I need?

• Will the hose have to bend or flex?

• Will the hose contact petroleum products?

• Will the hose stay outdoors?

•What physical equipment will the hose be in?

• Will the hose's weight be an issue?

• What type of hose clamps and fittings are needed?

• What will the hose cost?

"We shouldn't go into a store and say, 'I need an 8-foot rubber hose,'" Whitford said. "What we should say is something like, 'I need an 8-foot rubber hose that's going to carry fertilizer, be dragged on the ground, that needs a cover and is going to be under this pressure.' We want to give the person behind the counter something to go by."

Regular inspection and replacement of worn-out hoses can prevent costly accidents. About 25 percent of chemical spills and leaks Whitford said he has witnessed involved faulty hoses.

"It does take time to check hoses. But if we think about the consequences of a hose breaking, we could be talking about thousands of dollars in cleanup and possible lawsuits," he said.

The Selection and Inspection of Hosescontains a wealth of photographs and diagrams.

In addition to Whitford, seven others contributed toward the publication's production, including land-grant university specialists and farm equipment and hose manufacturing professionals.